CNN –
Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is in the NFL’s concussion protocol, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said at a news conference Monday.
The announcement comes a day after Tagovailoa played the entire game as the Dolphins lost to the Green Bay Packers. It’s the second time this season that the 24-year-old quarterback has landed in the concussion protocol.
It also comes several months after he was in the spotlight for apparent head injuries and the league and players union agreed to update the protocol — the NFL’s policies for evaluating and caring for players who suffer concussions.
McDaniel said Monday afternoon that he had only learned “a couple of hours ago” that Tagovailoa was showing concussion symptoms and that the medical staff had placed him in the league’s protocol. He could not identify a time in Sunday’s game where Tagovailoa might have been injured.
It’s unclear if Tagovailoa will be available to play this week against the New England Patriots, the coach said.
“I really care about each and every player,” McDaniel said. “I take it seriously, so I just want him to be healthy and have peace of mind about that. That’s first and foremost, and then whatever the circumstances are after that, you deal with after that. It’s about being human and to make sure it’s square.”
Tagovailoa was also diagnosed with a concussion on Sept. 29 after being sacked in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Tagovailoa was motionless on the field for several minutes before being placed on a backboard and stretcher. He missed the team’s next two games.
That concussion came several days after Tagovailoa suffered an apparent head injury and was then cleared to continue playing in a Sept. 25 game against the Buffalo Bills.
A concussion is a brain injury that occurs after a blow to the head causes the organ to move back and forth inside the skull. But even after the brain itself stops shaking, there can be changes in the organ.
In October, Tagovailoa said he didn’t remember being off the field during the Sept. 29 game.
“They took it away, I don’t remember,” he said. “But I do remember the things that happened when I was in the ambulance and then when I got to the hospital.”
He called the process of going through the protocol stressful.
“But everything is done for the safety of the players and I’m glad I went through these things to understand more about concussions, and you know, the effects, long term, short term, things like that. . I to think it was cool to be able to go through that process and get eliminated,” Tagovailoa said at the time.
The Dolphins are in the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC, one game ahead of the Patriots. The Dolphins have two weeks left in their regular season.